I still firmly believe that the reserve targets the wrong potential recruits anyway. Those that it gets are still in school, and will be lost before/after leaving cert. The notion that the RDF is someplace to dip your toe to see if the military life is for you should go. That is what induction of PDF recruit training is for.
Not sure if the military life is for you and want to give it a try without committing to it 24 hours a day/365 days a year? The gate is that way. Goodbye.
I was lucky enough to have joined the FCA/RDF twice.
First as someone who wanted to join the PDF, dippin my toe. First year, full of energy, turned up for everything early. I wanted to join the Army as a Cadet, Navy recruit, Air Corps Apprentice, British army, FFL who knows. Then came leaving cert and year one college, yerra I'll show up when it suits. Became clear I wasn't gonna join the PDF so I put a bit more time and effort in, they put me on a POTS course. The week before I was due to go on mod 1, I got my call to the GS. Luckily there was another available to take "my" space on the course, and I remember being quite miffed about that. After all, I wasn't starting in the GS till well after the course...
After the GS, I had a different outlook. I had served the state in another uniform, I wanted to continue to do so, while continuing in my normal day job. I had no aspirations of joining the ARW or Navy seals or flying in helicopters. I joined in the usual way, I did do an accellerated recruit training, but otherwise was happy to muck in with the rest of the privates. I hope that the service I gave them in the 12 years after was worth the second chance they gave me. First time round I was involved in a few exercises as a private and a/cpl, threw a frenade, nmothing spectacular, probably because my departure was inevitable, and the powers that be saw there was no point wasting courses on me, meanwhile my friends who put in the hours got 84 and 90, 60 and 81 courses.
Second time round they sent me on a POTS, Std NCO, ISTAR, Driving and 90mm course, because I was staying around, they also let me represent them on numerous shooting competitions.
I have often said it, to paraphrase Groucho Marx, I'd hate to be a member of a club that would have me as a member. First time round, my version of a recruit was what most were, and within 2 years, only 5 of that recruit platoon of 35 still served.
Target the stable candidate, who is in for the long term, not the toe dipper.
Not sure if the military life is for you and want to give it a try without committing to it 24 hours a day/365 days a year? The gate is that way. Goodbye.
I was lucky enough to have joined the FCA/RDF twice.
First as someone who wanted to join the PDF, dippin my toe. First year, full of energy, turned up for everything early. I wanted to join the Army as a Cadet, Navy recruit, Air Corps Apprentice, British army, FFL who knows. Then came leaving cert and year one college, yerra I'll show up when it suits. Became clear I wasn't gonna join the PDF so I put a bit more time and effort in, they put me on a POTS course. The week before I was due to go on mod 1, I got my call to the GS. Luckily there was another available to take "my" space on the course, and I remember being quite miffed about that. After all, I wasn't starting in the GS till well after the course...
After the GS, I had a different outlook. I had served the state in another uniform, I wanted to continue to do so, while continuing in my normal day job. I had no aspirations of joining the ARW or Navy seals or flying in helicopters. I joined in the usual way, I did do an accellerated recruit training, but otherwise was happy to muck in with the rest of the privates. I hope that the service I gave them in the 12 years after was worth the second chance they gave me. First time round I was involved in a few exercises as a private and a/cpl, threw a frenade, nmothing spectacular, probably because my departure was inevitable, and the powers that be saw there was no point wasting courses on me, meanwhile my friends who put in the hours got 84 and 90, 60 and 81 courses.
Second time round they sent me on a POTS, Std NCO, ISTAR, Driving and 90mm course, because I was staying around, they also let me represent them on numerous shooting competitions.
I have often said it, to paraphrase Groucho Marx, I'd hate to be a member of a club that would have me as a member. First time round, my version of a recruit was what most were, and within 2 years, only 5 of that recruit platoon of 35 still served.
Target the stable candidate, who is in for the long term, not the toe dipper.
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